The public debate about everything from political
scandals to economic and social issues is now on a vicious 24-hour cycle. It’s not only persistent and constant it has
also become vicious as in venomous. A
while ago I decided to intentionally stop watching what is too easily called
‘news’ today and stopped clicking on the ‘comments’ section of various blogs
and news articles. All too often what is
posted in the news and comments is nothing but crude and ugly remarks that a
few years ago would have been considered completely inappropriate. Where I come from much of these comments if
made in person, would have been considered ‘fighting words’.
As an antidote to this incessant debate, I recommend we
individually and as a people consciously embrace diversity. Diversity of our thoughts, our religious
beliefs, our ethnic and cultural practices, our races, nationalities, genders,
ages and physical capabilities needs to remain one of the cornerstones of our
national, our political, our churches as well as our own personal identities.
Personally, I find it amusing if it wasn’t so sad that
many of the people that talk about diversity, tolerance and acceptance are
often the first people to demand conformity.
To them any deviation from their particular and ‘evolving’ point of view
is a sign of archaic thinking or just plain abnormal and irrational.
Conformity, while actually natural and often healthy for
society, can also quickly lead to latent discrimination, self-deception and
forced consent. When a group of people
begins a campaign to get others to conform to their will, a social dysfunction
occurs that is part of a bigger problem called ‘groupthink’. The term, groupthink, was coined by
psychologist Irving Janis back in the 1970’s.
Janis argued that groupthink leads to a deterioration of “reality
testing, and sound moral judgment.” Groupthink can make groups ignore
alternatives and adherents tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize
other groups. Groupthink and other measures that ‘push for conformity’
lead to a deterioration of healthy public discussion and ultimately censorship through self-appointed conformity watchdogs.
No particular business, organization, religion, political
party or group is immune to groupthink.
Groupthink stifles innovation in corporations, it cuts off debate in
religion. It rewards those that push
their agenda forward, punishes those who voice a different opinion and can
destroy a society….even a nation.
Diversity on the other hand and by definition embraces
inclusion. Diversity is the quality or state of having many different forms,
types, ideas, backgrounds and directions.
While at one time people thought that diversity was the opposite of
unity, in actuality, diversity is often an expression of unity. All too often unity was represented by a
conscripted conformity that was typically controlling, stifling and
oppressive.
Remember that I said that no group or person is immune to
groupthink. As you read this article you
may be thinking, ‘that’s right…those guys are exploiting groupthink.’ However pointing out ‘those guys’ quickly becomes
multidirectional. In the word of the late
cartoonist, Walt Kelly...“We have met the enemy and he is us.”
All of us are susceptible to the same issues with
ultra-conformity and groupthink.
One of the best ways to resist groupthink is to double
our efforts in embracing diversity. This
great country, the United States of America, has been metaphorically called a
‘melting pot’ or more recently a ‘salad bowl’ and has had a remarkable track
record of embracing diversity. While we
didn’t always get it right and often it took too long and included bitter
fights, diversity has truly come of age in our lifetime. We are today a great cultural mosaic.
Diversity respects that everyone may have his or her own
opinion; however it does not mean that everyone’s opinion is necessarily correct
or beneficial. We need to recognize
groupthink when we see it and refuse to allow ourselves to be intimidated into
going along with a growing popular opinion, movement or ideology that
groupthink advocates.
Diversity is protected in our country’s “Bill of Rights”
and includes our freedom of religion, speech and assembly. It includes the right to bear arms, a freedom
from unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to due process of law and
freedom from self-incrimination. While
diversity may be protected it is our responsibility to be vigilant to stand up for
our rights as well as the rights of others.
Don’t allow others direct the way you should think, act or believe.
